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Obama's emotional final rally

Though Democrats have waged an all-out war against increasing ID requirements for voting, many states now require ID under some circumstances. Democrats argue that such requirements unfairly disenfranchise the poor and the elderly.

The president told Thuman that voters could find their polling place by visiting the Obama campaign’s website — and that the election was now in the hands of the voters.

“Now the question is going to be people showing up to the polls,” he said.

“I want to make sure that people show up to vote,” Obama said “Whatever the outcome, that’s how our democracy works.”

It all comes down to turnout, Obama told Thuman — acknowledging the reality that polls show he does best among voters least likely to turn out or show up on Election Day. His campaign has worked ceaselessly to try to bank many of those low-propensity voters in early voting or absentee balloting.

“If we see good turnout across the country, I potentially have the privilege of serving the American people for the next four years,” Obama said.

“Ultimately, this comes down to those viewers who haven’t yet voted deciding to go to the polls,” he said. “I just hope people don’t sit on the sidelines.”

Obama said he was proud of the campaign he ran this year — identifying the first debate in Denver as his only stumble.

“I should have had a few more cups of coffee before the first debate,” he joked.

“I think overall, we’ve run a race that I can be proud of,” Obama said. “Other than that, I feel very good about the work we’ve done. I think we’ve laid out the choice very clearly for the American people.”

He also touted his volunteer turnout operation as a key factor in the campaign.

“I think it’s as good as a grass-roots organization as we’ve ever seen in politics,” he said.

Obama said that he didn’t envision the election being decided by a prolonged recount process.

“If it’s close, it may spill into the morning,” Obama told WJLA. But “I’m pretty confident that we’ll end up having a president-elect come Wednesday.”

Earlier in the day, he congratulated Mitt Romney on a “spirited campaign” and “hard-fought race.”

“I know that his supporters are just as engaged and just as enthusiastic and working just as hard today,” Obama said in a stop at a campaign office in Chicago on Tuesday morning. “I’m looking forward to the results. And I expect that we’ll have a good night. But no matter what happens, I just want to say how much I appreciate everybody who has supported me, everybody who has worked so hard on my behalf.”

Full disclosure: POLITICO is an affiliate of Allbritton Communications Company, which owns several television stations across the country, including WJLA in Washington.